Restaurants with a view like the one from Topo do Mundo don't come by everyday. Located in Brumadinho, about 34 km from Belo Horizonte, Topo do Mundo (or Top of the World), sits at an altitude of 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) in Serra da Moeda, a range which extends all the way to Ouro Preto.
On clear sunny days, you can see as far as the Itacolomi Peak in Ouro Preto, about 80 kilometers (almost 50 miles) away.
The restaurant serves a diverse menu with Minas Gerais roots and international touches. You can treat yourself to risotto and cannelloni, picanha (beef tri-tip) in a herb sauce and baroa (arracacha) purée.
Though casually decorated, Topo do Mundo is one of the best places near Belo Horizonte for romantic dinners, especially when there's live music. Reservations are a must.
Arriving while there's still light? Get a table on the west side and catch the breathtaking sunset. On nights with a full moon, you may enjoy the opposite side, facing the lake - Lagoa dos Ingleses - which shines silvery amidst the sea of mountains.
Topo do Mundo is next to Clube de Vôo Livre Belo Horizonte, one of the best known hang gliding and paragliding clubs in Minas Gerais, so the sky before you may be dotted with wings.
Wed-Sat 12p-1a
Sun 12p-7p
Address: Estrada da Serra 10
Piedade do Paraopeba
Brumadinho, MG
Phone: 55-31-3575-5545
The restaurant is 1 kilometer from BR-040 (the road that goes from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro), near Condomínio Alphaville Lagoa dos Ingleses (and the Caesar Business).
Nov.2, 2008 update: I had inadvertently written that Topo do Mundo is located 60 km from Belo Horizonte, but that's the distance from BH to the center of Brumadinho. The information has been corrected - Topo do Mundo is much closer to the capital, at 21 miles.
